Taipei, July 5 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Wednesday pledged that her administration is committed to the development of wind power in Taiwan, saying that it is not only a source of power but will also help create jobs in the country.

Tsai, who doubles as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairwoman, made the remarks during a meeting of the party's Central Standing Committee earlier in the day, according to DPP spokesman Ruan Jhao-syong (阮昭雄).

Wednesday's meeting was attended by Deputy Economics Minister Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) and Changhua County Magistrate Wei Ming-ku (魏明谷), who presented reports on the country's four-year wind power development plan and progress made in the green energy development.

During the meeting, Tsai noted that the government's forward-looking infrastructure program also includes many projects related to the green energy industry and that offshore wind power has great potential, including business opportunities in the manufacturing of wind turbines, operating wind farms and maritime engineering.

Denmark, Germany, Australia and Canada are all interested in investing in the wind energy industry in Taiwan, Tsai said, but added that Taiwan first needs related laws and infrastructure in place.

The president also reiterated the government's goal to increase the volume of electricity generated from renewable sources nationwide to 20 percent of total supply by 2025.

The government will make every effort to achieve that goal, she added.

Tsai said central Taiwan's Taichung City, Changhua and Yunlin counties are geographically ideal for the establishment of wind farms.

Those areas and offshore Penghu County are expected to be the focus of wind power development in the country, Tsai said.

"We are really determined, because there is no turning back," Tsai said, adding that the resolution of the government is a key factor in the willingness of investors to invest in wind energy.

In 2016, only 5.1 percent of total electricity generation came from renewable energy, according to data from state-run utility Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower). Nearly 80 percent came from electricity generated by fossil fuel power plants, it said. 

(By Lu Hsin-hui and Elaine Hou)
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